Combustion shell, heat exchanger and burner assembly



Jan. 16, 1962 R. G. TICKNOR COMBUSTION SHELL, HEAT EXCHANGER AND BURNER ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 12, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENTOR. Raymond G. 77c/rnar His Attorney Jan. 16, 1962 R. e. TICKNOR COMBUSTION SHELL, HEAT EXCHANGER AND BURNER ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 12, 1960 His Attorney United States Patent 3,016,946 COMBUSTION SHELL, HEAT EXCHANGER AND BURNER ASSEMBLY Raymond G. Ticknor, Rochester, N.Y., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 12, 1960, Ser. No. 8,417 Claims. (Cl. 158-7) This invention relates to furnaces, and particularly to a combined combustion shell, heat exchanger, and burner assembly for gas fired furnaces.

At the present time, hot air gas fired furnaces utilize separate combustion shells and burner manifolds. With this type of construction it is difiicult to properly align the burner within the burner cavity of the combustion shell. The present invention relates to a combined combustion shell and burner assembly which will eliminate the alignment problems that arise with conventional furnace constructions. Accordingly, among my objects are the provision of a combined combustion shell and burner manifold; and the further provision of a combustion shell, heat exchanger, and burner assembly including a burner head which is welded to a combined combustion shell and burner manifold sub-assembly.

The aforementioned and other objects are accomplished in the present invention by using a pair of sheet metal stampings to form the combined combustion shell and burner manifold. Specifically, each sheet metal stamping is formed with a tapered groove constituting one-half of the burner manifold, as well as a plurality of corrugations forming extended heat exchanger surfaces. The two stampings are seam welded together to form the combined combustion shell and burner manifold. This assembly is formed with an enlarged opening on one edge adapted to receive a burner head of the sheet metal type, such as disclosed in copending application Serial No. 786,462 filed October 20, 1958, now abandoned, in the name of John J. Klein, and assigned to the assignee of this invention. The burner head is positioned in a cavity and Welded to the side walls of the shell assembly to form an integral unit therewith.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a combustion shell and burner assembly constructed according to the present in vention.

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the assembly depicted in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

With particular reference to the drawings, the combustion shell and burner manifold comprises a pair of sheet metal stampings having substantially horizontal tapered grooves 14, which, together with spaced side walls 16 form a burner manifold 17. In addition, the stampings and 12 are formed with substantially vertically extending corrugations 18 forming extended heat exchange surfaces. The stampings 10 and 12 are spaced close together in the upper portion to facilitate intimate contact of the combustion gases with the extended heat exchange surfaces 18. The stampings 10 and 12 are spaced apart in the lower portion to form a combustion chamber, or cavity, 15, of suitable capacity. The two stampings 10 and 12 are seam welded along the edges indicated by numerals 20, 22, 24,

3,016,946 Patented Jan. 16, 1962 ice 26 and 28 and have openings 30, 32 and 34 formed along one edge.

A mixing tube 36, indicated in phantom in FIGURE 1, having an open end and through which the primary air gas mixture is supplied, is adapted to be inserted in the opening 30. Secondary air is supplied through the opening 32, and the flue gases exhaust through an enlarged header 33 having an opening 34.

A sheet metal burner head 38 is inserted through opening 32 and into the lower portion of the combustion chamber 15, after the sheets 10 and 12 are welded together. The burner head 38 comprises a pair of sheet metal stampings 40 and 42 which are welded to the sheets 10 and 12 in the area depicted by numeral 44. A flame diverter 46 is suitably connected between the space stampings 4t) and 42.

As is apparent from an inspection of FIGURE 3, the burner head 38 is automatically aligned with the combustion chamber 15 and burner manifold 17 by its attachment at 44 to the sheet metal stampings 10 and 12. In this manner substantial manufacturing economies can be realized.

While the embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A combined combustion shell, heat exchanger and burner assembly comprising, a pair of sheet metal stampings having spaced apart wall portions forming a burner manifold adapted to receive a mixture of fuel and air, a combustion chamber and a heat exchanger, said sheet metal stampings being Welded together, and a burner head rigidly connected, to said stampings between the wall portions thereof in alignment with said burner manifold and said combustion chamber, said burner head having passage means providing communication between the manifold and the combustion chamber to allow the flow of fuel and air from the manifold to the chamber.

2. A combined combustion shell, heat exchanger and burner assembly including, a pair of sheet metal stampings having spaced apart wall portions defining a burner manifold adapted to receive a mixture of fuel and air, a combustion chamber and a heat exchanger, means rigidly connecting said stampings to form a gas tight unit, said heat exchanger having extended surface portions, and a burner assembly rigidly connected between the wall portions of said stampings in alignment with said burner manifold and said combustion chamber, said burner assembly having passage means providing communication between the manifold and the combustion chamber to allow the flow of fuel and air from the manifold to the chamber.

3. A combined combustion shell, heat exchanger and burner assembly comprising, a pair of interconnected sheet metal stampings having spaced apart wall portions defining a burner manifold adapted to receive a mixture of fuel and air, an enlarged combustion chamber and a restricted heat exchanger, and a burner head connected between said spaced wall portions in alignment with said burner manifold and said enlarged combustion chamber, said burner head having passage means providing communication between the manifold and the combustion chamber to allow the flow of fuel and air from the manifold to the chamber.

4. A combined combustion shell, heat exchanger and burner assembly including, a pair of interconnected sheet metal stampings having spaced apart side walls defining a burner manifold adapted to receive a mixture of fuel and air, a combustion chamber, a heat exchanger, and a flue gas header, and a burner head connected to said side welds in -.alignment with said burner manifold and said combustion chamber, said burner head having passage means providing communication between the manifold and the combustion chamber to allow the flow of fuel and air from the manifold to the chamber.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said burner head comprises a pair of spaced apart sheet metal stampings and a flame diverter disposed therebetween and rigidly connected thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hess Apr. 9, 1940 Schickler Nov. 11, 1947 Buttner et al May 8, 1951 Marble et a1 Apr. 28. 1959 FOREIGN T PATENTS Great Britain Mar. 11. 1921 

